Nick was tightening his tie when he heard his phone buzz. He picked it up and saw it was another text from Greg. He opened it to read it and then closed it again.

"Are you gonna answer him?" asked Sara. She was dressed up nicely for court, too.

He shook his head. "I'm still not certain he wants to talk to me."

Sara recalled what Greg had said.

'I don't have the courage to show my face in the lab after this. I wish, so badly, that I could just say something to him. I'm not strong enough to show my face to anyone from there.'

She sighed and turned away. "Let's go, then, court awaits and we still have to pick up Greg."

Nick nodded in agreement.

Two weeks since he'd last spoken or seen Greg. He'd grown used to knowing that he would never be able to open his eyes to anything other than the creep his close friend had become. He had fallen for him, but now he was up in the air again, wondering if he'd been right to walk away over just that. Nick didn't know if Greg was even really the victim or if Alexis and Ivan were just protecting themselves. He didn't know if he had a right to want to push Greg away like this.

He picked up his phone and his nice jacket before he followed Sara outside. He had to let it go. Greg was a creep and he wasn't going to take that chance that Greg might be the victim, as he fully believed his gut was wrong.

Sara parked the car and turned the engine off before she reached over and pulled on Nick's ear. "You've been quiet this whole time! What do you want? You seem so off."

Nick shook his head and slowly opened the door. He put his boots on the concrete before he went to the stairs to get out of the parking structure. He couldn't face the music that his gut might be right. He had to follow the evidence and it was pointing to all parties.

Greg was at fault with his stalker pictures. Ivan was at fault for assaulting an officer and Nick. Alexis was at fault for trying to murder Greg.

Greg was safe because he was the target of Alexis who was safe because she had already pleaded slight insanity because of Ivan who was safe because the attack on Nick was more of self defense, so he claimed, when he just wanted to "talk" to Greg.

Nick put his long coat on as Sara came up beside him. "Let's just get in there and get it over with."

-Two hours later-

Nick was coming out for a recess period. He was checking his phone when he heard a commotion.

He peeked around the corner and stopped.

A young couple of boys were holding hands as they sat on a bench. They were laughing about a joke. The pale one leaned over and his lips touched the dark-skinned one on the cheek. He smiled and the dark-skin kissed him.

Nick turned so his back was against the wall. He took a deep breath and slowly looked down at his phone. He'd just gotten a message.

'Turn to your left.'

He looked to his left and saw Greg leaning on his crutches. He waved his phone in that familiar motion and smiled.

Nick turned away and walked around the corner.

Greg sighed and began to move himself towards the doors. He had decided that he'd give everyone one smile. No laughter or anything like that. It was a serious day and he still wore bandages over his right eye, which was still healing. His right arm was in an ace bandage now and his leg was still in a cast. But he could wear his suit just fine.

He used the bottom of a crutch to press the handicap button to open the door. He hobbled into the courthouse and made his way to the courtroom. He had to grit his teeth against the pain of knowing he'd see them all and only able to smile for them once during this short time away from the hospital.

Greg's nurse would be coming later than him. She would keep an eye on him to make sure he was okay. She was the only one who'd visited Greg in the last two weeks. Sara was barred from seeing him to keep his statement pristine for court.

He found a soft seat and settled down to wait. Greg's crutches could be propped against the side and he leaned back. He let his chin touch his chest and he closed his eyes, remembering everything.

But he'd never get his chance to apologize to Nick.

Never.